adelsperger



1937. c. c. ADELSPERGER Re. 20,559

CHAIR BACK Original Filed March 11. 1932 .1 j -Z2? 2g ea .ZJ

vent or Charles C. Cld z dper-gelgdec, y Zl/zion 00d (5., BY OF UZron 01%));-

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ATTORNEYj Reissued Nov. 30, 1937 EUNITED STATES T OTF FlC E CHAIR BACK Charles C. Adelsperger, deceased, :latef'of Union City,-Ind., by Union Oity-:Body Company, as-

-- 'signee, Union City, Ind.

I 6 Claims.

.:The present invention relates to improvements :in theater chairs and one of the objects. of my invention is to provide a chair structure organized insuch a-manner. that itmay :be shipped in a knocked-down condition.

A further object of my invention is to provide .an improvement .in a chair back, primarily adapted for. association with the above-mentioned type of knocked-down chair, which may be cheaply 'and readily constructed, primarily of .sheet metal, with means for securing the upholstery in position in the backpwhichxmeans not only provides for acheap and efficient manner for securing the upholstery in place, but alsov pro- .vides means'whereby the upholstery may be renewed when worn out ordestroyed with a minimum of expense.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention I have illustrated an embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing in which ."Figvl' isa side elevation of a frame for aback unit embodying my invention;

Fig.2 is.a central section of an upholstered back-unit;

Fig. 3 is a fragmental front elevation of'a'back unit frame;

Fig.-:4 is ahorizontal section thereof;

"Fig: 5 isa longitudinal section on the line 55 of Fig-6, showing in addition the backassembly;

Fig.6 is a fragmental plan of a seat unit'showing theback-retaining means, and

Fig? :is .an-enlargeddetailed view showing the means for securing the retaining bar in position in'the frame.

.In'the. embodiment of the invention illustrated I provideza pair of side plates I adapted to be secured=to suitable standards-and each of these side plates is provided with an inwardly-facing socket portionl adapted to receive the end. of -a cross bar 3,-which cross bar provides means for connecting the side plates-together, and a pivotal support for the tilting seat frame 4.

Each of the sideplates I carries a back-supporting-l bracket 5 and each of said brackets comprisesza plate secured to one of the side plates as by arrivet'fi passing through the upper end of the bracket and the plate and bolts or rivets 1 and B placed at spaced points on the bracket. Either the bracket plate 5 or the side plate may be formed of elongated apertures for the reception of the bolts 1 and 8 to provide for an adjustment of the angle of inclination of the back-supporting bracket. 7

Each bracket includes .a rearwardly-extending portion 9 terminating in a partly cy1indrical por- (Cl; I55184) :tion' lll asiillustrated in Fig 6; andit will be noted that thesepartly cylindrical portions faceinwardly.

The back .unitcomprises a frame member II consisting ota "shectf'of metal generally of rectangularl form; andcurved as illustrated;'and providedwitha peripherally-extendingbead I2 adjacent three of its' edges. 'Beyond the bead 'portion I2 the said three edges. of the sheet are formedfto provide a continuous outwardly-openinggroove lluthe =portion of" the sheet in which groove I3 is formed terminating in'shoulders I4 at the bottom of the back, and the portion of the bead at its lower:end:beingextended or projected tolform aifiange or tongue I 5.

The fourthedge of: the sheet'is formed'with a forwardly open'ingi rgroove I6? and adj acent each endLof the'igroQVethe'sheet I I carries .an ear II,

one end portion IBJof which is free. This ear is preferably spot-welded to: the-'s'heetandthe free openin'g hook'lll 'which'may' also, if desired, be spot-welded in. position.

A sheet'20eof 'fiexible material, such as cardboard, is positioned' with its lower edge supported in the hook I9. Compressible upholstering material 2 I; such for instance ashair or other padding, and preferably in sheet form, is supported on the cardboard sheet, a portion'22 of the material being folded o'ver the upper edge of the cardboard and compressed between the cardboardsheet and 'the seat back. Likewise a portion'23 of the material may enter :the cavityformed by the bead I2.

In'thisdescriptionand in certain of the. claims appended hereto the material 20 is referred to as cardboard. Itis to be understood, however, that any material which is relatively inexpensive, light, and which has sufiicient stiffness to supportthe strip of upholstering material 2| during the assembly of the back isfto be considered the equivalent of i thecardboard.

A resilient' bar fl is secured to three edges of agenerallyrectangular sheet' of covering material, preferably by having the edge of the sheet rolled over the bar and secured to the back of the material either by stitching or otherwise. A rod 26 is secured to the bottom or other edge of the upholstering material, and this rod may be positioned in the groove I6. After the positioning of the rod 26 the ends I8 of the ears I! may be bent downwardly against the rod to retain the same in the groove. The bar 24 is positioned in the groove [3 and at each of its opposite ends this bar is provided with a bent portion 2'! adapted to cooperate with the shoulders M to retain the bar in its groove. The bent portion 21 is again bent in the opposite direction to provide a stud 28 screw threaded as at 29 at its ends. After the rod has been assembled in the groove or recess, the extending lugs l5 are folded down to cover the rebent ends of the rod 24.

The assembled back unit is engaged with the seat unit by entering the lower ends of the bead iii in the cylindrical portions ll] of the brackets 9 and sliding the back unit downwardly in said portions until the hooks 30 secured on the bead portions engage over the top edges of the cylindrical portions l0. This limits the downward movement of the back and also provides a covering for the raw edge of the curved portion Ill of the bracket. The lower edges of the bracket and bead are covered by cap members 3| which engage over the lower edges of the curved portions H3 and the bead, as illustrated in Fig. '7, and these cap portions are provided with lugs 32 i through which extend the threaded ends 25,

nuts being secured on the under side of the lugs $2 for drawing the bar 24 snugly in position, and likewise holding the back portion from vertical displacement.

The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 598,231, filed March 11, 1932.

What is claimed is:

1. In a chair, a back comprising a sheet of metal of generally rectangular formation, said sheet being formed with an outwardly opening groove extending around three sides thereof, said groove terminating, at its opposite ends, in shoulders and a resilient bar positioned in said groove and provided at its opposite ends with abutments engageable with said shoulders to hold said bar in place.

2. In a chair, a back comprising a sheet of metal of generally rectangular formation, said sheet being formed with an outwardly opening groove extending around three sides thereof, said groove terminating, at its opposite ends, in shoulders, a resilient bar positioned in said groove and provided at its opposite ends with abutments engageable with said shoulders to hold said bar in place, and a sheet of flexible covering material substantially coextensive in size with the sheet metal having a portion of its periphery secured to said bar.

3. In a chair, a back comprising a sheet of metal of generally rectangular formation, said sheet being formed with an outwardly opening groove extending around three sides thereof, said groove terminating, at its opposite ends, in shoulders, a resilient bar positioned in said groove and provided at its opposite ends with abutments engageable with said shoulders to hold said bar in place, a groove formed in said metal sheet and extending along the fourth side thereof, a pair of spaced ears secured to said metal sheet adjacent said last-mentioned groove, a sheet of flexible covering material of generally rectangular formation having three sides secured to said bar and a rod receivable in said last-mentioned groove, the fourth side of said flexible sheet being secured to said rod, said ears being adapted to be bent into retaining relation with said rod to hold the same in position in said last-mentioned groove.

4. In a chair, a back comprising a sheet of metal of generally rectangular formation, said sheet being formed with an outwardly opening groove extending around three sides thereof, said groove terminating, at its opposite ends, in shoulders, a resilient bar positioned in said groove and provided at its opposite ends with abutments engageable with said shoulders to hold said bar in place, a lug carried by said sheet adjacent its fourth side, a plate of cardboard supported on said lug, a sheet of compressible upholstering material folded over the upper edge of said plate and carried thereby, a groove formed in said metal sheet and extending along the fourth side thereof, a pair of spaced ears secured to said metal sheet adjacent said last-mentioned groove,

sheet of flexible covering material of generally rectangular formation having three sides secured to said bar and a rod receivable in said last-mentioned groove, the fourth side of said flexible sheet being secured to said rod, said ears being adapted to be bent into retaining relation with said rod to hold the same in position in said last-mentioned groove.

5, A chair structure comprising an upholstery carrying member generally rectangular in form and formed with an outwardly opening groove extending around at least three sides thereof, a resilient member positioned in said groove, means engaging the free ends of said resilient member for drawing said resilient member snugly into said groove and placing the same under tension therein, and a sheet of flexible covering material substantially co-extensive in size with said carrying member and having a portion fitting within said groove and embraced by said resilient member.

6. A chair structure comprising an upholstery carrying member generally rectangular in form and formed with an outwardly opening groove extending around at least three sides thereof, a resilient member positioned in said groove the free ends of said resilient member being screwthreaded, threaded members engaging said free ends for drawing said resilient member snugly into said groove and placing the same under tension, means for holding said threaded members against movement at least in one direction relative to the respective threaded ends of the resilient member, and a sheet of flexible covering material substantially co-extensive in size with said carrying member having a portion fitting within said groove and embraced by said resilient member.

UNION CITY BODY 00., Assignee of Charles C. Adelsperger, Deceased.

By HEBER D. FITZGERALD,

President. 

